David Johnson
01-31-2005, 11:05 PM
Last week Mark and his budy Brian flew in for some Oregon steelheading. They both are originally from Oregon but their carriers in the clergy have taken them across the country. They had a wonderful time getting re-aquainted with what makes the NW special.
We were met in the morning by a good rainshower but as daylight broke so did the clouds and we enjoyed a warm January day that you would have thought was March.
It was Mark's turn first with this nice little native....
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415MARK.jpg
.......then it was Brian's with this fat hatchery hen.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415BRIAN.jpg
Mark first fished with me on New Years Eve in 2001.
He had met his now wife Diane the previous October and they clicked right away. As things went along Mark told Diane there were two things he wanted in a wife. 1) She would except him for who he is and 2) She liked to catch steelhead.
In her southern drawl she told him something to the effect of, "You take me steelhead fishing and I'll whip your but...."
Well, on New Years Eve day we put in at around noon, fished a couple holes and shortly after Diane was soon into her first steelhead.
It was a bueatiful native that we took a quick pic of and sent on it's way. Then Diane turned to Mark and said, "Mister, any more questions?"
Since we only caught two fish on this last trip I told Mark he should have brought Diane along so we could have laid the :smash: on them :grin:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mark and Brian aren't the only ones to have great days on the water this month.
This past January we've been hit with a lot of warm, dry weather, typicle of an El Ninio year. I think I'm getting spoiled :smirk:
With the dry weather comes low water. Many people are "afraid" of fishing low water. They stay home and hope for rain. Consequently, the crowds have been light and fishing has been decent. More often than not I have only seen one boat on the water or even been the only boat :yay:
But by modifying our techniques slightly and working hard we have been rewarded with some beautiful steelhead.
And once your line goes tight and you feel the head shake of one of these bueaties all the worries and stresses of the world are gone.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415KELLY.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415TRASK.jpg
Our catch ratio has pretty much been broken down into thirds. One third hatchery, one third wild and one third brood stock (hatchery with wild parents)
I'm looking forward to the rest of the winter run, (February-April) the traditional time for broodstock and wild fish.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415ROB.jpg
Lately the water has been so warm we have started to do some spring time tactics. We even got one on the fly rod today.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415FLY.jpg
A couple weeks ago my dad and I made our anual south coast fishing trip. Unfortunatly we were met with dirty water so we only hooked a few fish and landed a couple but we had a great time hanging out together.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415DadCoquille.jpg
I'm now looking forward to this February and March for the native and brood stock hatchery runs :smash:
We were met in the morning by a good rainshower but as daylight broke so did the clouds and we enjoyed a warm January day that you would have thought was March.
It was Mark's turn first with this nice little native....
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415MARK.jpg
.......then it was Brian's with this fat hatchery hen.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415BRIAN.jpg
Mark first fished with me on New Years Eve in 2001.
He had met his now wife Diane the previous October and they clicked right away. As things went along Mark told Diane there were two things he wanted in a wife. 1) She would except him for who he is and 2) She liked to catch steelhead.
In her southern drawl she told him something to the effect of, "You take me steelhead fishing and I'll whip your but...."
Well, on New Years Eve day we put in at around noon, fished a couple holes and shortly after Diane was soon into her first steelhead.
It was a bueatiful native that we took a quick pic of and sent on it's way. Then Diane turned to Mark and said, "Mister, any more questions?"
Since we only caught two fish on this last trip I told Mark he should have brought Diane along so we could have laid the :smash: on them :grin:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mark and Brian aren't the only ones to have great days on the water this month.
This past January we've been hit with a lot of warm, dry weather, typicle of an El Ninio year. I think I'm getting spoiled :smirk:
With the dry weather comes low water. Many people are "afraid" of fishing low water. They stay home and hope for rain. Consequently, the crowds have been light and fishing has been decent. More often than not I have only seen one boat on the water or even been the only boat :yay:
But by modifying our techniques slightly and working hard we have been rewarded with some beautiful steelhead.
And once your line goes tight and you feel the head shake of one of these bueaties all the worries and stresses of the world are gone.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415KELLY.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415TRASK.jpg
Our catch ratio has pretty much been broken down into thirds. One third hatchery, one third wild and one third brood stock (hatchery with wild parents)
I'm looking forward to the rest of the winter run, (February-April) the traditional time for broodstock and wild fish.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415ROB.jpg
Lately the water has been so warm we have started to do some spring time tactics. We even got one on the fly rod today.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415FLY.jpg
A couple weeks ago my dad and I made our anual south coast fishing trip. Unfortunatly we were met with dirty water so we only hooked a few fish and landed a couple but we had a great time hanging out together.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415DadCoquille.jpg
I'm now looking forward to this February and March for the native and brood stock hatchery runs :smash: